OK, you can exhale.

Louisville 24, UVa 20.

Of course, one is inclined to offer cliché– All’s Well the Ends Well — but it really would not tell the whole story of what played out in Charlottesville Saturday afternoon.

At halftime, I texted my former editor at The Louisville Cardinal, inquired if he might have a nifty play on words for the opposite of “Instant Classic.”

The opening 30 minute impersonation of a P4 football game ended 7-7.

The Cardinals committed 5 penalties for 26 yards. They were 1/4 on 3d downs, 0/1 on 4th. The Cavaliers about the same.

Louisville was uninspiring. Jeff Brohm’s play calling uninspired. Louisville’s defense meh. Though Ashton Gillotte was wrecking some havoc.

Former Editor’s response: “A Titanic Battle in Pursuit of Mediocrity.”

Not bad on the spur of the moment. Verbose enough to fit my stylistic modus operandi.

But, Mr. Former Editor, I advised, these two teams were already firmly entrenched in mediocrity.

 * * * * *

When it mattered, Louisville did what they needed to do to prevail.

On both sides of the ball.

Down 17-20, the Cards forced a punt late in the 4th. Which was promptly fumbled but recovered, 67 yards from paydirt.

Starting with 6:33 left, the Cards worked it down to the 2:00 Warning. A couple completions to Caullin Lacy. An 18 yard rush by Isaac Brown (20 totes for 146 yard and 2 TDs on the day).  A nice drive continuing underneath route connection to Jamari Johnson. The game winning TD to JJ after commercials.

UVa took over with 1:55. U of L’s secondary appeared as porous as usual at the start. Four straight Wahoo completions gave the home team a 1st & 10 at U of L’s 39. Then three excellent pass break ups sandwiched an underwhelming Anthony Colendrea attempt.

The first by Quincy Riley.

The next by Corey Thornton.

The game sealer by D’Angelo Hutchinson.

Essentially ball game. Though UVa had the three timeouts it needed to make it interesting. Didn’t matter.

 * * * * *

Why am I, despite the come from behind W, not willing to go with “All’s well that ends well.”

I have suspected and previously mentioned peripherally what appeared systemic issues with this Louisville edition.

They exist.

Though it didn’t matter really, one play stands out as a microscopic look at lack of discipline, lace of focus, lack of attention to detail.

Early in the 2d Q, UVa’s punter kicked one low. It caromed off a Cavalier, which was imperceptible. Then bounced off the back of Cardinal Antonio Watts, seemingly a live ball bouncing about that would have belonged to the team that recovered it. Several Cardinals simply sauntered toward it without any sense of urgency or the situation at all.

Lacy was the only Cardinal alert enough to bust his hump and jump on the pigskin.

Detail. Discipline. Focus.

Actually there’s a list of examples of all that in my game notes.

I simply don’t want to go there. It’s been a long day. Cards won.

But there is significant work that needs to be done.

Like I said systemically.

Better play calling. Better play execution.

Better D schemes. Better tackling. Better coverage. Not just when it’s very very late with backs to the wall.

— c d kaplan